Dec. 11th, 1945

Dear Mom and Dad,

At last I'm back from my wanderings, have collected all my mail and wrapped all my Xmas presents. I am sending yours tomorrow. I hope you both like them. Your present Mom was easy...only hope you like. Dad's was a bit harder, but I hope I succeeded in pleasing you too. I couldn't get any fishing tackle anywhere. You should get a parcel from Moncton any day now containing two scarves for Grandpa and Stan. Will you please wrap them up and put them under the tree for me? The silk scarf is for Stan because I didn't know what color his suit was. Will you also take $20.00 from my bank account and send it up to Burt? I reckon he'll need it more than anything I can send him. I must also write him a note in time for Christmas.

I had a marvelous time in New York, met some wonderful people! I'm sending you two booklets to show you some of the things I did. The ‘Page One Ball' was a huge success both for me and for the people concerned. I was very lucky indeed! I had gone down to New York with the idea of getting a pin-up girl for our station-newspaper and I succeeded beyond my wildest expectations! I contacted the ‘George Evans Theatrical Agency' and they gave me Jo Stafford: Broadway's new singing sensation! You can hear her at 5 o'clock in the afternoon over ABC circuit on the ‘Ford Programme'. They also gave me a ticket to this Page One Ball, I was right in the front row! I met Frank Sinatra, Jane Froman, Mayor La Guardia and a host of other people and had a marvelous time, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman - you'll see a list of the program I made on page 70. It really was extra-special and I enjoyed myself hugely! I only hope my marvelous-luck holds out. And I can really ‘cut a rug' now after dancing to Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Eddie Condon, Duke Ellington, Cootie Williams and Vaugh Monroe. That's certainly a list of rare and expensive talent, and it was all mine for the asking! I've certainly been ‘stepping' this past two weeks! But it's good to be back again and settled down. I had a terrible time but at last I managed to buy some shirts for myself so now, I'm not too badly off for things. I also got some socks down in New York

We seem to be a bit unsettled on the station here. They have started discharging ‘Bods' right and left, so don't be at all surprised if I should suddenly walk-in on you and announce ‘I'm home for good!' Nothing seems certain anymore. The squadron has packed up and the course is ‘washed-out'. What is to happen to us, I don't know. I guess all I can do is sit-tight and hope my name doesn't come up. If it does, I'll go back to school.

Well, I think I'll ‘hit the hay'. I didn't get much sleep last night and tonight it is so cold, I doubt I'll get much here either! My love to everyone. You'll send the $20.00 to Burt OK. won't you?

Yours ever,

Jim